Tire-tightener



(No Model.)

M. J. MGKINNON.

TIRE TIGHTENBR. Y No. 453,204. Patented June 2,1891.

UNITED i STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MCHAEL J. MCKINNON, OF SALEM, OREGON.

TIRE-TIGHTENER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 453,204, dated June 2,1891.

Application led November 8, 1890. Serial No. 370,818. (No model.)

, a naturalized citizen of the United States, re-

` right angles to Fig. l.

siding at Salem, in the county of Marion and State of Oregon, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Devices for AdjustingTires; andl do declare the following to be a-full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will ena-ble others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

Hy invention has relation to improvements in that class of devices knownas tire-tight-4 eners or spoke-adj usters; and it consists in aconstruction applicable to the end of a spoke, whereby the length ofsuch spoke may be increased or reduced to attain the above-mentionedresult. A j

The improvements will be fully understood from the following descriptionand claims when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, inwhich- 'Y Figure lis an elevation of my improved device, embodying theseveral parts and illustrating to a better advantage the gibs upon thesleeve or adjustable section. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of thesame, taken at Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of a portion of theadjustable sleeve-section of my improved device. Fig. 4 is an elevationof the eXteriorly-threaded socket which receives the end ofthe spoke andon which the other parts are mounted. Fig. 5 is an elevation of myimproved device in position upon a wheel-spoke.

Referring by letter to the said drawings, a

indicates the spoke-receiving socket of my improved device which has aslightly tapering smoothbore, and is shouldered at its lower end, asbetter shown in Fig. 2, whereby it is seated upon the shoulder of thespoke which takes up through its bore, and this socket-section ct isalso provided at its upper or outer end with a slight inwardly directedannular iiange, as better shown in Fig. 2. Mounted upon the saidsocket-section a, which is externally threaded from its shoulderedportion to its outerend, are two internally-threaded nuts b b', the nutb of which is adapted to adjust a sleeve-section presently to bedescribed, while the nut b is designed to act as a jam or lock nut forsaid adjusting-nut, whereby it is prevented from casual displacementwhen adjusted to the desired position.

c indicates` a smooth-bore sleeve-section, which is of a diameterin itslower portion to take over the threaded socket-section a., and has itslower edge resting upon the outer nut Z9, whereby it is adjusted withrespect to the spoke, as will be presently described. Thissleeve-section c, which has its upper or outer portion reduced indiameter, whereby a shoulder is afforded as indicated by d, is providedat such shouldered point with opposite directed dished 4gibs e, whichare designed in operation to span the inner edge of the felly B, wherebythe same is strengthened and prevented from splitting, which mightordinarily occur when the reduced tenon portion of the adjustablesection c is turned vtightly up into the felly.

In operation, the socket-section ct, having the nuts Y) b thereon, ismounted on the outer portion of the spoke, which is reduced to receivethe same, a shoulder upon which the socket rests being afforded by thereduction of the spoke. The sleeve-section c is then mounted upon thefurther reduced end of the spoke, and its lower portion, which surroundsthe socket-section ct, rests upon the nut ZJ, whereby it is adjustedwithrespect to the spoke and socket section thereon. The reduced or tenonedend of the section cis then inserted in the socket of the felly and thenut b turned unt-il the sameis properly tightened, when the jam-nut isturned up against said nut b to lock the same. On the other hand,- it isobvious that if the spoke is too tight by reason of shrinkage of thet-ire and felly the direction of the turning of the adjusting-nut may bereversed and the spoke thereby shortened.

As regards the jam-nut b', it is obvious that if desirable it may bedispensed with, although its use is preferable to prevent casual play ofthe adj usting-nut.

Between the shoulder of the section d and the jam-nut, and between saidjam-nut and the adjusting nut, and between such adjusting-nut and thebottom of the sleeve-section, I prefer to place soft Washers, but do notdesire to confine myself to their use, as they are not essential.

IOO

seen that a device of the character described may be permanently mountedupon a spoke without detracting from the appearance of the Wheel, andthat by the employment ot' such devices the spokes are greatly increasedin strength as is also the connection between the spokes and telly, andbut little Weight is added to the wheel.

In the practice of n1y invention it is obvious that the several partsmay be formed in any suitable manner and from a suitable maferial; and Ido not desire to limit myself to the precise forni shown, inasmuch assuch modiiieations may be made as fairly fall within the scope of lnyinvention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In atire tightening andadjusting device, the combination, with asmooth-bore socketsection externally threaded and adapted to receive theend portion of aspoke, of a screwthreaded nutadapted to turn upon thethreads ofthe socket-section,and an adjustable sleevesection surroundingsaid socket-section and bearing upon the adj listing-nut thereon, saidadjustable section being adapted to engage a felly, substantially as andfor the purpose described.

2. The combination, with a smooth-bore socket-section externallythreaded and adapted to receive the end port-ion of a spoke, of ascrew-threaded nut adapted to turn upon the threads of thesocket-section, and an adj ust able sleeve-section surrounding saidsocketsection and bearing upon the adj usting-nut thereon, saidadjustable section being reduced in its upper portion to form a tenon toenter the telly, substantially as specified.

3. The combination, with a smoothbore socket-section externally threadedand adapted to receive the end portion of a spoke and a screw-threadednut adapted to turn upon the threads of the socket-section, of anadjustable sleeve-section surrounding the socketsection and bearing uponthe adjusting-nut thereon, said adjustable sleeve-section being reducedin its upper portion to form a tenon to enter the Wheel-telly, andhaving oppositely-directed dished gibs at the base of said reducedportion, substantially as and for the purpose described.

4. A tubular section shouldered at its lower end and externallythreaded, an adjusting screw-threaded nut turning on said tubular.

section, and a jam-nut also turning on said section and adapted to lockthe adj usting-nut, in combination with a sleeve-section adapted tosurround the socket-section and bear upon the adjusting-nut thereon,said adjustable section being also adapted atits upper or outer end toengage a felly, substantially as 'and for the purpose described.

5. A tubular section externally threaded and an adjusting screw-threadednutturning on said tubular section, in combination with a sleeve-sectionadapted to surround the socket-section and bear at its lower end uponthe adjusting-nut thereon, and two oppositelydirected gibs at the upperend ot' said adjustable sleeve-section adapted to bear upon a telly,substantially as and for the purpose described.

M. J. MCKINNON.

Witnesses:

J. W. BERRY, D. D. DICKEY.

